Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-04-23
SEEKING FORTUNES IN PATENTS.
Men Who Hope to Become Rich by
Inventing Something.
THE FEvERIsH DREAM OF AN NvKETOR-A SCENE
IN ONE OF THE DIVISIONS OF THE PATENT OFFICE
TRYING TO MAKE NEW DISCOVERIES.

eve got it.! 1vegot It'll he! he! he! rye got ftp
and the old man rubbed his hands together, and
laughed until the tears ran down his face and he
could OILY say in a half whisper: "I've got it;
figured it all out in my sleep. It is success q
perfect success I've figured it all out; three
| hundred million dollars. He! he! hel three hun.
| dred mil" He cut himself short by plung1ng
his face into basin OF water, which served the
double purpose OF beginning his morn
ing toilet and preventing an attack
| Of apoplexy. With trembling hands he
completed his toilet giving an extra twist to bis
frayed black tie, and a more careful brushing to
| his threadbare coat to make his appearance &C
cord better with the station in life he would here
after occupy. He was down to breakfast before
his landlady, who had seen better days in Virginia
before the war, and claimed the privilege Of an
extra half hour In bed, had yet appeared to meas
ure out the coffee-berries, and he walked up and
running his fingers through his long tangled gray
locks, while the ragged old darkey the maid of all
work, was down on her hands and knees blowing
when he heard thaDheeS OF his SlipShOd landlady
Tapping on the stairs
OFF TO THE PATENT OFFICE.
But when the coffee and hot rolls came on he
was gone. AS he walked along the street toward
the Patent Office he repeated to himself, "three
hundred million dollars. I've figured it QUIT" Then
he began to figure out something else. He thought
how he would improve his personal appearance,
and decided upon carriage first of all. Then his
thoughts turned to his lodgings, and then to has
landiady and little bll-Only matter OF two
months board-and he decided to pay her at once,
SO that She could pay back-rent the agent was
pressing for. Pshaw! he would buy the house and
give it her as token of his esteem, before moving
into handSOmer quarters. The doors OF the De-
partment were still closed. He walked around
the square until the clerks began to arrive. He
| fore hours, bringing with him bundle OF work
he has done at home over night, and hopes some
| time to be made Chief OF division. The old man
congratulated himself that he was not a mere
| clerk. He had been long time at the task OF his
life, but he had at last it, and he felt
proud that he had not yielded to even want and
degraded himself to do ordinary work.
MATTER OF FEE.
He was an inventor. He had devoted his whole
life to it, and he stood in the patent examiners
room, while that polite, searching and Analysing
gentleman unlocked his desk, he felt that he was
about to astOnish an old acquaintance.
"I've struck it," he said
The examiner smiled.
Il have told you for the past twenty years that
would get it. Now have it,
to speak. 81 have thought had it before, know.
But this time kno'0 have 1t, have figured it
all out. 1t Is thing the Government Will use ex-
cluS1vely. During the term OF my patent the Gov
eminent will want hundred and fifty million OF
them, and shall get royalty OF 81 piece. Three
Now, If you please, would like my patent at
once;" and he laid his bundle Of papers on the
desk.
You see" he added, after fumbrng in his
pockets for a moment, 81 just haven't the money
for the fee with me- but It's for the OF the Gov
eminent; 1t can be taken out; win open up with
them. Proceed with the examination as fast as
you can"
"You can't do it? Why it's for the Government
Must you have the fee down as II were working on
some private concern? Well, won't do it. won't
advance a cent to such Government for fees. The
next thing they would want my patent for
nothing" AS the old man walked home with the
under his all the novelty
faded out OF the invention. He could not strike
upon the line OF his calculations at all. He could
mind, and in no way could he account for the es-
timated $780, 600 900. An hour later he was in his
room on the fourth floor, with papers full of draw
woodwork on his table, and scattered all over the
floor about him. In the afternoon he went again
to the Patent Office to look over the thousands OF
drawings OF patents to see II he could not find
something to invent.
PROSPECTING FOR INVENTIONS.
There he found dozen or more other inventors,
or lawyers employed by inventors all looking
over the drawings. Some were looking to see If
their plans infringed on any other already pat
the sort better than their Inventions Others who
have chronic idea that they ought to invent
sSmsth IN without fH any definite idea what it
suggestion. The old man found several there who,
like himself, had been devoting their lives to the
invention OF something to bring money into their
hands without working for it. These generally
were engaged in looking over the drawings OF
electrical inventions or something Of that sort. He
saw there also a number who had worked hard
and had spent money in the cause OF science, and
who had made some great discoveries, with but
tOrneys OF two or three inventors who had become
immensely rich OF their discoveries 1t is odd to
see all these folks porting over the drawings.
THE SCENE IN THE OFFICE.
A STAR reporter stood at the head of the long
room and looked the scene over. There are rows
after rows OF drawers, which, when pulled out are
tilted over at an angle like great music-stands,
leaving the sheets OF drawings-or Autographs,
rather guarded by racks SO they may be turned
the finest details OF the inventions OF all sorts that
have been patented are given in these Autographs
and the groups OF patent attorneys and inventors
oa the geaa 4s
people whose minds ran In that way came there
and looked the drawings over just to try and
geS There are many curioas peope
that have become sort OF attachments to the
of1ice-men who devote their lives to trying in
venttOn and never succeed. Like the men who
have claims before Congress OF many years stand
Ing, they hang on, living on hope: Every now and
discovery, and when they are disappointed they
20 at it again. Thousands upon thousands OF
things are patented that never amount to any
thing and there is hardly thing that can be
Thought OF that there are not from twenty five to
several thousand patent varieties OF. There are
re Under
U06 ucdu VI utOodiiASy oAAOiO DIT HOW pdCtuUS5
and in electricity there are 1913 different patents
A N1illiOn-DOllar Bride.
THE COMING WEDDING OF NEW YORKER At San
FRANCISCO.
A special dispatch to the New York Star from
San Francisco, April 81, says: The Crocker-Alex-
ander wedding viii take place In the leading Eps
copal church Of this city next Tuesday at noon.
The plans for an elaborate affair have been
| changed on account of the recent death Of Mrs
Fred Croker, aster-tn-law to the bride, and II
win In consequence be very quiet. The bride